Local Sports

Exline scores in OT to lift Salem

SALEM -- Salem's Bairon Exline raced six yards over left tackle to score the winning touchdown as the Quakers held off stubborn Marlington 36-29 in a wild overtime finish at Sebo Stadium Friday night.

Salem held a 29-7 fourth-quarter lead but Marlington stormed back to tie the game at 29-29 on scoring runs of nine and two yards by quarterback Tyler Walder and a one-yard run by Jacob Rose. The Dukes' Walder also completed the two-point conversion pass

Salem got the ball after Marlington deferred in overtime and took a 36-29 lead on Exline's scamper and Ronin Sutter's PAT kick.

Marlington then got its turn and drove to the Salem six, and on fourth down Quaker Blake Bezon intercepted a Duke pass in the Salem end zone as the Quakers sealed the heart-pounding win. The Quakers had five interceptions in the game.

"I'm frustrated (with a bizarre call at the end of regulation which gave Marlington a chance to tie the game, which it did)," said Salem head coach Ron Johnson. "Our kids played hard and we had the game under control and it never should have come to that."

"We're so proud of our guys, we're just trying to represent Marlington the right way and I thought we did a really good job of that tonight," said Marlington head coach Joe Cardinal. We just kept battling."

Salem running back Zander Kinsey had a big game to lead the Quakers' offense, rushing for a game-high 261 yards and two touchdowns.

"That was too close," said Kinsey of the overtime. "It (the game) was just crazy. I just want to thank my linemen for blocking for me and I thank the Lord."

The Quakers put-up three first-half touchdowns to go up 19-0 midway through the second quarter on marches of 19, 73 and 58 yards. Quarterback Adrian Gelonese capped the Quakers' lone first-quarter score on a six-yard keeper around right end. The PAT boot was blocked and Salem led 6-0 at the 10:21 mark of the first quarter. The score was set up by a 69-yard kickoff return by Kinsey.

The Quakers tacked on two second-quarter touchdowns on a two-yard scoring bolt by Zander Kinsey and a 10-yard pass from Gelonese to Bairon Exline, making it 19-0 with 6:19 showing before halftime.

Marlington got on the board on its next-to-last possession of the first half when the Dukes marched 69 yards and scored on a two-yard rush up the middle by Jacob Rose. Xavier Woods added the PAT kick and the Dukes cut into the Salem lead at 1:53 mark of the second quarter.

Salem led in total offense, 218-156 at the break.

"Credit them (the Dukes), they played their tails off," said Johnson. "They played hard for 48 minutes plus."

After Salem defensive back Liam Pierson picked off his second pass (he ended the game with three picks) of the night and returned it to the MHS 17, the Quakers converted with a 30-yard field goal by Ronin Sutter to lead 22-7 at the 8:27 mark of the third.

Salem added a fourth quarter touchdown on a 72-yard scoring jaunt by Kinsey and a Sutter PAT boot to make it 29-7 with 7:34 remaining.

It then set the stage for Marlington's three late touchdowns and two-point conversion and two PAT kicks.

With the win, the Quakers improved to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the Eastern Buckeye Conference. The Quakers remain tied with West Branch for the league lead. Salem is off to its best start since the 2015 campaign when it began the season 8-0 under Johnson.

"We have to play a lot better to be a championship football team," said Johnson.

With the loss, Marlington, which leaves the Eastern Buckeye Conference after next season for the new Northeast Senate League, fell to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in the EBC. The Dukes have lost their last three games and have been outscored 82-7 during the skid.

Marlington leads the overall series with Salem 19-18 but Salem has now won three straight games against the Dukes and five of the past six meetings. The Quakers defeated the Dukes 61-39 last season.

NOTES

The Quakers hit the road to Cortland next Friday night for an Eastern Buckeye Conference game against new EBC member Howland (6-1 overall, 3-1 in the EBC) at Richard Lombardo Field.

"We're 1-0 this week and 7-0 for the year and that's all that really matters," said Johnson. Salem and Howland haven't played in 19 years, dating back to the 2007 season.

Marlington hosts Carrollton (1-7 overall, 0-3 in the EBC) Friday evening.

SCORING

MA:0-7-0-22-0 --29

SA:6-13-0-10-7 -- 36

SCORING

S -- Adrian Gelonese, 6 run (Kick blocked)

S -- Zander Kinsey, 2 run (Ronin Sutter kick)

S -- Baron Exline, 10 pass from Adrian Gelonese (Kick blocked)

M -- Jacob Rose, 2 run (Xavier Woods kick)

S - Ronin Sutter, 30 field goal

S -- Zander Kinsey, 72 run (Ronin Sutter kick)

M --Tyler Walder, 9 run (Xavier Woods kick)

M -- Jacob Rose, 2 run (Walder 2-point conversion pass)

M -- Tyler Walder, 2 run (Xavier Woods kick)

S -- Bairon Exline, 6 run (Ronin Sutter kick)

TEAM STATS

Marlington

First downs: 27; Total yards: 408; Rushes-yards: 40-200; Passing: 208; Comp-Att-Int. 17-31-5; Punts 3-36; Fumbles-Lost 0-0; Penalties-Yards 9-95

Salem

First downs: 29, Total yards 412, Rushes-yards 33-342, Passing 70 Comp-Att-Int. 8-18-2, Punts 2-32, Fumbles-Lost 0-0, Penalties-Yards 8-85

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING -- Marlington, Jacob Rose, 20-158, Tyler Walder, 6-49, Cam Evanich, 1-2; Salem, Bairon Exline, 5-62, Zander Kinsey, 22-261, Adrian Gelonese 1-6.

PASSING -- Marlington, Tyler Walder, 17-31-219-0-5; Salem, Adrian Gelonese, 8-17-70-1-1.

RECEIVING -- Marlington, Cameron Evanich, 2-22, Austin Ring, 7-89, Cole Jones 4-53, Conner Gill 2-20, Xavier Woods, 5-36; Salem, Bairon Exline, 7-59, Zander Kinsey, 1-1, Camden Nutter, 1-11.

INTERCEPTIONS -- Liam Pierson (3), Blake Bezon (1), Braydon Van Dyne (1), Cam Evanich (1), Conner Gill (1)